Lasting machine



July 4, 1933. E. PATTEN 1,916,436

LASTING MACHINE Filed June 12, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l LVVENTOR.

E. L. PATTEN LASTING MACHINE July 4, 1933.

Filed June 12 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet IN VEA'TOR. B y [rnes/ L. F 7/220 8 f A ITO/PW names Patented July 4, lead Nrrsn sm'rss PATENT OFFICE] ERNEST L. PA'HIIELBT, OF NEW HAVEN; GONNECTICUT, T0 BOSTON RUBBER SHOE COMPANY, OF EZALDEN, IEASSACEUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS LASTING MACHINE.

Application. filed June 12,

odand means of manufacture have not been uniform and the operations have been more costly than necessary.

Rubber fabric boots and shoes have also been built up by first assembling the various elements of a portion of the shoe such as the vamp and toe portion in the flat so as to form. a fiat laminated assembly or slab of the elements. This assembly or slab of elements is then rolled on to a last so as to shape theassembly or slab to the contours of the last. The marginal edges of the vamp and toe portion are rolled down on to the insole of the article of footwear so as to maintain them in position. The effort required to shape such assembly or slab of elements to the contour of the last is so great as to render it impractical to perform such a lasting operation manuall It is the object of this invention to provide'a novel machine for lasting the vamp and toe portion of anarticle of footwear. It is also the object ofthis invention to provide a machine in'which an assembly or slabof elements may be shaped to the form of a last by the operation ofthe machine. Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear in the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation ofthe machine of this invention, and w Fig. 2 is a front elevation ofthe machine of this invention.

a In the preferred embodiment of this invention as shown in the drawings, a last 1, which maybe either a shoe last or a boot 1929. Serial no. $70,199.

last, is mounted upon a suitable support 2 consisting of a pin 3 adapted to fit into an aperture in the last, which pin 3 is carried upon a block 4 mounted for sliding movement in the bracket 5 mounted in any suitable manner upon the frame 6 of the machine. A lever 7 is provided for manually effecting the adjustment of the block 4 and last 1 relative to the machine.

The assembly of elements of thearticle of footwearvwhich have been arranged on the last 1 are acted upon by presser elements consisting of pads 8'covered by straps 9,the pads-preferably being of resilient material such as rubber and the straps 9 preferably being of. some material providing an adequate wearing surface which will grip the surface of the elements of the article of footwear, such a suitable material being leather. The pads 8 are carried in cups 1O rotatably mounted as indicated at 11, upon blocks12. Blocks 12 are mounted for sliding movement inthe platform 13. Screws 14engage threaded apertures in the blocks 12 andare mounted for rotation n the platform 13 so that by the operation of screws 14 the blocks 12 and presser elements 8 carried thereby may be moved closed or further apart. The blocks 12 carry brackets 15 and springs 16 positinned with one end on the brackets 15 and the other on the cups 10,.the springs serving resiliently to'urge the pads 8 into contact with the elements of the article offootwear. The platform 13 is mountedon the piston 1? which is slidably mounted in cylinder-18, the piston being provided with the slot 19 and the cylinder with pin 20 for limiting the motion of the piston. Suitablemeans for efiecting the motion of the piston 17 in the cylinder 18 is provided, such as the connecting rod 21 rotat'ably connected with the piston 17 as indicated at 22, said connecting rod having the cam rider 23 fastened thereto by any suitable means such as the bolt and nut 24. The cam rider 23 rests upon cam 25, the rotation of which cam effects movement of the piston 17 so as to bring the presser elements 8 into and out of contact with the assembly of elements of the article of footwear on the last 1. The connecting rod 21 is prolow cylinder vided with a slot 26 in its lower end which rides over a suitable shaft or bar of the machine to maintain the connecting rod in an upright position. In this particular form of the invention the slot 26 rides over the cam shaft of the machine.

In order to make the action of the presser elements 8 effective, it is necessary to support the opposite side of the last or article of footwear or to apply pressure thereto. WVhile a fixed means may be employed for this purpose, it has been found most satis factory to employ the arm 27 having the shoe 28 to contact with'the sole portion of the last or article of footwear thereby to exert a thrust upon the lasted article or to take up the reaction of the thrust exerted by the presser elements 8. The arm '27 is fixed upon shaft 28 rotatably mounted in suitable journals 29 carried by bracket 30 fixed to the machine at any suitable point such as the cylinder 18 by any suitable means such as bolts 31. The shaft 28 carries crank arm 32 rigidly fixed thereto, the end of the 1 crank arm distant from the shaft 28 being rotatably connected to link 33 by pin 34. lVhile the link 33 may be rigidly connected to the operating parts ofv the machine, it has been found most satisfactory to provide a spring held lost motion connection which consists of the nut 34 screwed upon the end of link 33 and which moves within the hol- Cylinder 35 is provided with an aperture at its upper end to permit the motion of the link 33 therethrough. A

spring 36 is positioned within the hollow cylinder 35 and acts upon the nut 34, the end of the spring 36 distant from nut'34 resting upon the cap nut 37 screwed into the open end of cylinder 35. Cap nut 37 has lug 38 thereon which is rotatably connected to lever 39 by pin 40. Lever 39 is mounted for rotation upon the bracket 40, carried upon the frame 6 of the machine, by a pin 41. The end of lever 39 distant from the lug 38 carriescam follower 42 which rides in cam slot 43 of cam 44. The motion of the cam 44 effects, by the action of the motion transmitting mechanism, the movement of the arm 27 into and out of contact with the sole portion of the last or article of footwear.

Cams 25 and 44 are rigidly mounted upon sleeve 45 which is free to rotate upon cam shaft 46 of the machine. A clutch sleeve 47 is keyed upon the sleeve 45 in a manner such as to permit longitudinal movement of the clutch sleeve 47 with respect tothe sleeve 45. A spring 48 is provided for forcing the clutch sleeve 47 into engaging position or to the right as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The spring 48 contacts at one end with the sleeve 47 and at the other end with a suitable collar upon sleeve 45. The clutch sleeve 47 is adapted to engage with the clutch member 49 rigidly fixed to shaft 46. The shaft 46 is driven through the reduction gear 50 by a suitable source of power such as motor 51.

In order to provide for the automatic stopping of the machine at the end of a cycle of operations, the clutch 47-49 preferably 1S of the single revolution type. In order to effect the operation of the clutch, the clutch sleeve 47 is provided with pins 52 and 53 which cooperate with dog 54 rotatably mounted on the frame 6 as shown at 55. The dog 54 is provided with a beveled face and a notch, the beveled face being adapted to engage the pins 52 and 53 successively so as to force the clutch sleeve 57 to the left as shown in Fig. 2 against the action of the spring, thereby disengaging the clutch, the notch in the dog 54 being provided to stop the rotation of the sleeve 47 and thereby the cams 25 and 44, which arrest-s the motion of the machine. The dog 54 is provided with a link 56 which connects the dog with a foot treadle 57. A spring 58, connected to the treadle and to any suitable point on'the frame, acts, through the treadle 57 and link 56, normally to maintain the dog 54 in its operative position, which is shown in Fig. 1. Operation of the foot treadle 57 serves to move the dog 54 downwardly, as shown in Fig. 1, thereby disengaging the dog 54 from either the pin 52 or pin 53 so as to permit the clutch sleeve 47 to move into engagement with clutch member 49. When the treadle 57 is again released the dog 54 moves into its operative position so that upon rotation of the clutch sleeve 47 the pins 52 and 53 will again engage the dog 54 so as to stop the machine.

In the operation of the machine, the last 1, having the assembly of elements of an article of footwear positioned thereon, is mounted upon support 2 and lever 7 ad justed to bring the vamp and toe portion of the article of footwear into operative relation with respect to the pressing blocks 8. When the last is positioned in the machine the elements of the machine occupy such a position that the blocks 8 are at the lower most position and the clamping arm 27 and shoe 28 are in the uppermost position so that the last may be mounted on the machine with facility. The machine is set into operation by manipulation of treadle 57 which draws the dog 54 out of engagement with clutch sleeve 47 thereby permitting the engagement of the clutch which sets the cams 44 and 25 into rotation. Motion of the cam 25 effects, through follower 24, connecting rod 21, piston 17, the upward movement of the pads 8 carried upon the platform 12 at the end of piston 17. Simultaneously the rotation of cam 44 effects, through cam follower 42, lever 39, connecting link 33, crank arm 32, the movement of the'arm 27 downwardly so as to bring shoe 28 into contact with the sole portion of the last or article of footwear. The simultaneous movement of the presser blocks 8 against the elements of the article of footwear mounted upon the last and of the shoe 28 into contact with the sole portion of the last or article of footwear efiects'a clamping action therebetween so that the presser elements 8 are thrust against and rubbed over the assembly elements of the article of footwear in a manner such as to stretch them over the last without the formation of wrinkles. As the presser pads 8 are movedinto contact with the article of footwear, the blocks engage the surface of the elements of the article before the motion of the piston 17 has ceased,and as the motion of the piston 17 and the resultant motion of the pressed blocks or pads 8 continues, the

pads slide over the surface of the elements of the article of footwear, being held thereagainst by the springs 16, with the result that the assembly of elements of the article of footwear are stretched over the last and all wrinkles removed therefrom. Independent mounting of the cups 10. which carry the presse-r pads 8 and the action of the springs 16 permits the presser pads 8 to adjust themselves to the contour of the article of footwear so that a substantially uniform pressure is applied over the wholesurface acted upon. Should any misposition of the last prevent the arm 27 from completing its movement, the resultant difference in motionbetween the connecting link 33 and the lever 39 will be taken up in the lost motion connection provided by the parts 34, 35, 86

and 37 The pins 52 and 53 are so positioned upon the clutch sleeve 47 that when the parts have been moved into full clamping position such as shown in Fig.1, one of the pins will act with the dog 54 so as to stop the 'machine. This is to permit inspection or to permit the use of any suitable manually operated rolling tool, for instance, the margins of the lasted assembly of the elements of the article of footwear may be rolled down onto the margin of the insole by the use of a hand roller, or for other purposes. When it is desired to open the machine, the treadle 57 is again manipulated thereby releasing the clutch sleeve 47 sothat its rotation may continue until the machine has been fully opened when the other of the pins 52 and 53 cooperates with the dog 54 to again stop the machine. This cycle of operations may then be repeated.

While one specific form of the invention has been disclosed herein, it is not intended to limit the invention thereto, inasmuch as many changes in the parts of the mechanism and their arrangement may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention which is indicated by the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a footwear lasting machine in combination, means for rigidly supporting a last, a plurality of members mounted above the vamp and toe portions of the last and for independent movement and adapted to press and shape an assembly of elements of an article of footwear about the vamp and toe portion of the last, resilient means cooperating with the members resiliently to maintain said members in contact with a substantial area of the assembly, and means acting on the sole of the'last to press the last against the assembly of elements.

2. In a footwear lasting machine in combination, means for rigidly supporting alast, a plurality of members independently ad justable and adapted to contact with and rub over anassembly of the elements of an article of footwear, means for applying a thrust to the sole. portion of the last, operating means therefor, and means for simultaneously moving the members and the last mentioned means into contact with the last in a manner such as to shape the assembly of elements about the vamp and toe portion of the last, said thrust exerting means having a spring held lost motion connection with said operating means.

Signed at New Haven, county of New Haven, State of Connecticut, this 7 day of June, 1929.

p ERNEST L. PATTEN. 

